1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a humidifier and quick response steam generator for supplying steam to the humidifier in a humidification system. More particularly, the humidifier has humidifying tubes, which can be easily detached from humidifying steam headers for replacement allowing the number of the humidifying tubes to be adjusted according to humidifying capacity, and which can be designed as thimble tubes so that pneumatic pressure loss due to installation of the humidifying system can be reduced and steam of very uniform temperature can be supplied to an air flow, thereby obtaining an air flow of uniform temperature and humidity.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As well known to those skilled in the art, strict humidity management is frequently required to be performed within a very small variation range in a manufacturing process of various experimental apparatuses or precise high-tech products. This humidity management requires quick response and high stability.
In general, humidifiers are classified into steam injection humidifiers, water spray humidifiers and evaporation humidifiers according to humidification mechanism. The steam injection humidifiers are widely used in the precision industry, and classified into an electric heating humidifier, electrode humidifier, infrared humidifier and superheated vapor-type humidifier according to the basic structure.
In the humidifiers, humidifying tubes have great influence on the uniformity of injected steam and the mixing of injected steam with the ambient air, and determine absorbing length of the whole humidification system and performance of the humidifier. In general, a fixed multi-passage quick response humidification system has humidifying tubes, which are shaped as a simple cylindrical tube and have short absorbing length and poor humidification performance. Also, in the humidifying tubes of the fixed multi-passage quick response humidification system, it is difficult to adjust the amount of sprayed steam according to variation of humidifying capacity since spraying capacity is fixed.
Also, a pan-type steam generator of the prior art has a structure in which only a heater is submerged into water. Thus, a very long time period is elapsed before steam is generated after water is heated, so that quick response steam generation cannot be performed when necessary.
Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the fixed multi-passage humidification system of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a humidifier which has a modified geometry to reduce pneumatic resistance and has a multi-passage structure to uniformly arrange humidifying nozzles in an air flowing duct so that absorption length can be shortened by improved mixing, thereby enhancing humidification capability and enabling humidifying tubes to be replaced.
It is another object of the invention to provide a steam generator enhanced in responsiveness for supplying steam to the humidifier.
In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a thimble-type steam injection humidifier in a high response humidification system, the steam injection humidifier comprising: a number of humidifying tubes structured of multi-passage modules, whereby flexibility of application can be enhanced according to humidifying capacity required for the high response humidification system; headers arranged upstream and downstream of the humidifying tubes; and detachable fastening means for fastening the humidifying tubes with the upstream and downstream headers, whereby the passages can be opened/shut according to humidifying capacity.
The steam injection humidifier may further comprise humidifying nozzles uniformly arranged in an air flowing duct, wherein the humidifying tubes are formed to have a geometric sectional shape selected from a group including flat tube, ellipse and diamond to reduce resistance against an air flow.
The humidifying nozzles may be uniformly arranged in the section of the air flowing duct, and wherein the humidifying nozzles in one of the humidifying tubes alternate with the humidifying nozzles in the adjacent one of the humidifying tubes, whereby steam is uniformly injected to an ambient air flowing section and finely mixed.
Each of the humidifying nozzles may have a hole which is tapered at an angle v of xe2x88x9260xc2x0 to +60xc2x0.
Each of the injection nozzles in each of the humidifying tubes may be provided as a pressed pin type nozzle that is made through elasto-plastic deformation, or a screw type nozzle having a hole formed in a round-head plus screw.
Each of the humidifying nozzles may be inwardly projected into each of the humidifying tubes so that condensate is downwardly exhausted to prevent condensate from being injected while being mixed with steam even if condensate is generated as steam is cooled by the ambient air.
Each of the humidifying tubes may comprise a pneumatic resistance adjustment tube projected to the upstream and downstream headers to allow adjustment of steam capacity introduced to the each humidifying tube, and wherein the each humidifying tube is rotatable to adjust the direction of injecting steam and the number of humidifying holes of the humidifying nozzles.
The humidifying nozzles in the each humidifying tube can be detached and replaced with sealing bodies to allow adjustment of the number of the humidifying holes.
One of the pneumatic resistance adjustment tubes of the each humidifying tube projected to the upstream header may have variable penetrating depth into the upstream header to adjust pneumatic resistance to the each humidifying tube from the upstream header to the each humidifying tube for the uniform distribution of flow rate, and tapered in the upper part, whereby flowing rate of steam into the each humidifying tube at the inlet side can be adjusted by the rotation of the tapered surface.
The tapered upper surface of the one pneumatic resistance adjustment tube may have an angle xcex2 of xe2x88x9260xc2x0 to +60xc2x0.
Each of the humidifying tubes may have one end coupled with the downstream header and perpendicularly formed where a support baffle plate and an opening adjustment plate are inserted for easy adjustment of condensate and steam exhaust, and the support baffle plate perforated with a number of holes and the opening adjustment plate are combined to adjust rate of steam injected by pressure drop.
Each of the fastening means for each of humidifying tubes and the upstream header includes: a pneumatic resistance adjustment tube having threads formed in the lower periphery and a radially tapered portion formed at the lower end; a ferrule; and a nut fitted around the each humidifying tube for fixing the each humidifying tube, wherein the pneumatic resistance adjustment tube is coupled with the upstream header through welding, the each humidifying tube is inserted into the pneumatic resistance adjustment tube, the ferrule is coupled and sealed with the tapered portion of the pneumatic resistance adjustment tube, and the humidifying tube fixing nut is screwed into the threads of the pneumatic resistance adjustment tube to fasten the each humidifying tube into the upstream header.
Each of the fastening means for each of humidifying tubes and the upstream header includes: internal threads provided in the upstream header; a first nut for surrounding and fixedly supporting a pneumatic resistance adjustment tube, the first nut having upper and lower nut sections with external threads, a fixing threshold in the periphery of a middle portion, a hole with threads for receiving a headless bolt for one-point support, and a radially tapered lower end; a ferrule for being coupled with the tapered lower end of the first nut; and a second nut for fixing the each humidifying tube, wherein the first nut is inserted into the internal threads of the upstream header, the each humidifying tube is inserted into the lower part of the first nut, and the second nut is coupled to fasten the each humidifying tube into the upstream header.
The fastening means for each of humidifying tubes and the upstream header includes: internal threads provided in the upstream header; a first nut for surrounding and fixedly supporting a pneumatic resistance adjustment tube, the first nut having external threads at the upper end, a fixing threshold in the periphery under the threads, a hole with threads for receiving a headless bolt for one-point support, and a radially tapered lower end; a ferrule for being coupled with the tapered lower end of the first nut; a second nut for fixing the each humidifying tube; and a connector tube having an outer diameter the same as the each humidifying tube and the pneumatic resistance adjustment tube, wherein the first nut is inserted into the internal threads of the upstream header, the connector tube is coupled with the lower part of the first nut to connect the each humidifying tube and the pneumatic resistance adjustment tube, and the connector tube is coupled with the second nut to fasten the each humidifying tube into the upstream header.
Each of the fastening means for each of humidifying tubes and the upstream header includes: internal threads provided in the upstream header; a first nut for surrounding and fixedly supporting a pneumatic resistance adjustment tube, the first nut having external threads provided in the whole periphery, grooves at both sides of a middle portion, a hole with threads for receiving a headless bolt for one-point support, and a radially tapered lower end; a second nut for fixing the first nut; a ferrule for being coupled with the tapered lower end of the first nut; and a third nut for fixing the each humidifying tube, wherein the first nut is inserted into the internal threads of the upstream header, the second nut fixes the first nut to the upstream header, the each humidifying tube is inserted into the lower part of the first nut, and the third nut is coupled to fasten the each humidifying tube into the upstream header.
Each of the fastening means for each of humidifying tubes and the downstream header includes: internal threads provided in the downstream header; a support baffle plate; an opening adjustment plate; a first nut for fixing the support baffle plate and the opening adjustment plate, the first nut having external threads at both ends and a middle portion with reduced inside radius for stopping the each humidifying tube, the support baffle and the opening adjustment plate; and a second nut for fixing a pneumatic resistance adjustment tube, wherein the first nut is coupled into the threads of the downstream header, the baffle plate, the opening adjustment plate and the humidifying tube are inserted into the first nut, and the second nut is coupled around the first nut to fasten the each humidifying tube to the downstream header.
The steam injection humidifier further comprises cylindrical plugs for coupling the humidifying tubes with the upstream and downstream headers to adjust the number of the humidifying tubes in opening/shutting the passages according to required humidifying capacity.
The humidifying tubes may be thimble-type humidifying tubes each having passages therein for allowing steam to make a detour.
Each of the thimble-type humidifying tubes may have a passage-guiding insert having a U-shaped side section or an inside passage-guiding insert having an O-shaped side section within the each thimble-type humidifying tube to form passages so that nonuniformity of a steam state within the each thimble-type humidifying tube is compensated due to cooling by the ambient air to allow the steam state to be substantially uniform.
Each of the thimble-type humidifying tube may have an outer tube, the outer tube generally having a geometric sectional shape selected from a group including a flat shape, ellipse or diamond to reduce resistance against an outer main flow, the outer tube additionally having circularly sectional end shapes where the thimble-type humidifying tubes are fastened to the upstream and downstream headers by ferrules for preventing leakage.
Each of the thimble-type humidifying tube may have an inner passage-guiding insert formed to be outwardly projected in part and humidifying nozzles provided at one side of the inner passage-guiding insert.
A quick response steam generator, comprising: a housing for defining the contour of the steam generator to feed steam to a humidifier and storing water in the lower part; a heater for heating water; a spray nozzle for supplying water; a water drain for exhausting water in the lower part of the housing; a number of absorbers for surrounding the heater, the absorbers being selected from a group including a porous metal structure, a metal mesh and a metal fin, whereby liquid is pumped by capillarity to constantly maintain the upper part of the porous metal structure in a wet state, and the heat transfer area per unit volume between the heater and liquid is enlarged; and a number of gaps arranged in a longitudinal direction for enhancing efficiency of transferring heat from the heater to enhance responsiveness so that bubbles generated by the heater can be easily released.